Sewing machine lubrication



2 Sheets-Sheet l lill R5 E@ WHHHiHf/f im N klm. mw M i,--- m r 'ATTORNEY Sept. 22, 1953 A. N. HALE SEWING MACHINE LUBRCATION Original Filed May 12, 1951 Nm mm W, @l -I um. lllm' a l: u ,wwmmmhl A L, S L alle W y Sept. 22, 1953 A. N.. HALE 2,652,799

SEWING MACHINE LUBRICATION Original Filed May l2, 1951 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,'.vllllllli wenn IN VEN TOR aqfthur JVJfa/e WITNESS"l BY ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 22, 1953 ,SEWING MACHINE LUBRICATION Arthur N. Hale, Park Ridge, Ill., assigner to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey original appiieation May 12, 1951, seran No. 226,082. Divided and this application July 28,v

sgriiafl N Claims. 1

This invention relates to' sewing machines and more particularly to an improved lubricating system therefor.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide means for the thorough and eiiicient lubrication of the machine tovinsure long life under high speed operating conditions.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensiveV construction which will insure the maintenance of an adequate supplyv of lubricant to the main bearing points of a high speed sewing machine.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an eiective bearing seal which will prevent egress of oil to a point outside the lubrication compartment oi the machine, which seal also functions to direct the excess oil back into one of the mechanism bearings of the machine.,

With the above and other objects in View, the invention will be more fully described as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which show a preferred embodiment of the device, and particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View taken longitudinally of the frame of a sewing machine embodying the invention, showing the main shaft bearing at the standard end and the lubricant seal for said bearing.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken through the standard of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken lengthwise of the bracket-arm, showing in detail the wicklled bore Vof Va tubular arml-shaft and the ducts Vfor delivering oil from said bore to the elements operatively connected to said arm-shaft.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of the bearing, oil-conducting ring, and the crank-member, showing the way in which the oil-conducting ring is mounted on the ball bearing and has its reduced portion extending into the annular recess in the crank member.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the oil conducting ring. i

The following detailed description compre'- hends the construction of the machine as it relates to the lubricating system, and for a more complete description of the entire machine reference may be had to my eopending application Serial No. 226,082, filed May 12, 1951, of Awhich this application is a division.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the

machine illustrated has a hollow machine-frame 'which is preferably cast in one piece and comprises a bed I0 from one end of which rises a standard II of an overhanging bracket-arm I2 terminating in a head I3.

The bed I0 is transversely formed with depending end-walls I4 and I5 providing bearing supports for the opposite end of a mainor bedshaft indicated generally as I6. Intermediate the end-walls I4 and I5 is a depending transverse partition Il providing a third bearing for the bed-shaft I3. Spanning the space between the end-wall I4 and the depending partition Il is a horizontal wall I8 affording fthe top of a lubrication compartment I9 closed at its bottom by a removable plate 20. The lubrication compartment I9 is in communication with the hollow 2| of the standard II, whereby the oil-laden atmosphere created in the compartment I9 may lubricate the operating connections in the bed and standard. Adjacent the right hand end of the bracket-arm I2 there is provided a 'parti-- tion 22 separating the hollow of the bracketarm I2 Afrom the hollow of the standard II and supporting a rear'bearing 23 for an armfsha-ft 2t.l A front bearing 25 for the arm-shaft 2t vis' mounted in a partial partition 26 formed within the bracket-arm I2 at the point where it merges into the head I3 of the machine. A sheet-metal face-plate y2l closes the head I3 against ingress of dirt and lint and confines any spent lubricant within the head. To facilitate assembly of the mechanism within the bracket-- arm I2 an access opening 28 is rformed in the. upper end of the standard and a detachabley cover-plate 29 is provided to close said access opening.

Mounted on the bed I0 is a suitable vclothplate 30 to which is secured a `throat-plate 3i. The entire machine is preferably yieldingly supported on fourresilient cushions 32 housed at their upper ends in apertured pads 33 .cast ih- Y tegralwith the machine-bed Ill. Each of the resilient cushions 32 is bored, as at i3d, to receive a locating sleeve 35 brazed or otherwise secured to a sheet-metal box-.like drip-pan 36. Each of the locating Asleeves 35 has a wood-,screw 31 projecting through it to secure the drip-pan to a conventional table structure 38. It willbe appreciated that the locating sleeves 35 position the machine within the `drip-pan .35 which is attached to the table-top 38, and .that the, machine can be readily removed from the vdrip-pan by simply lifting the machine andthe resilient cushions 32 01T the locating vsleeves 35.

`The main-shaft, which is-.journaied :for rotation inl the bed I0, comprises .a Yfront Vsel'tien 39 and a relatively shorter irear section 40;. the

proximate ends of the sections 39 and 40 comprising an articulated crank having separable components. The front section 39 is journaled in the plain bushed bearings 4I and 42 disposed in the partitions I4 and I1, respectively, of the bed I0. The shaft section 39 is tubular, having a longitudinal bore 43 for a major portion of its length, and adjacent its front end is formed with a feed-advance eccentric 44 and a feed-lift eccentric 45.

Carried by the front end of the shaft-section 39 is a conventional form of wing-type looper 46. Brazed or otherwise secured on the reduced rear end portion of the shaft-section 39 is a counterbalanced disk-shaped crank-cheek 41 forming one component of the articulated crank; the crank-cheek being formed in its end face with a radially extending notch 48 and having its periphery 49 cut eccentrically of the axis of rotation of the shaft-section 39, thereby to provide an eccentric for actuating a thread-nippell 50.

Projecting into the radially extending notch 43 in the crank-cheek 41 is the reduced outer end of a crank-pin I brazed or otherwise secured in a second counterbalanced disk-like crank-cheek 52 suitably fastened on the rear shaft-section 49. As will be seen in Fig. l, the rear shaft-section 49 is journaled in ball-bearings 53 and 54 mounted in spaced relation in a sleeve 55 adapted to be replaceably mounted in a shaft assembly aperture 56 formed in the wall I5 of the bed. Mounted on the exposed end of the rear shaft-section is a combination hand-wheel and belt-pulley 51. For assembly purposes, the aperture 55 is sized to exceed slightly the diameter of the crankcheek 52 sol that the crank-cheek 52 with its crank-pin 5I, shaft 40, ball bearings 53 and 54, sleeve 55 and hand-wheel 51 can be assembled as a unit outside the machine and inserted through the aperture 56. A set-screw 58 locks the unit in place and a conventional resilient ring-gasket 59 prevents escape of the oil in the lubrication compartment I9-2I outwardly along the surface of the aperture 53.

Cooperating with the wing-type looper 45 in the formation of single thread chain-stitches is a thread-carrying needle 60 carried in the lower end of an endwise reciprocatory needle-bar 6I journaled in bearing bushings 62 and 63 fixed in the machine head I3. Clamped on the needlebar BI is a stud 64 embraced by the lower end of a needle-bar actuating link 65 which is connected at its upper end to a rock-arm 66 clamped on the arm-shaft 24. Rocking movements are imparted to the arm-shaft 24 by means of a rockarm B5 preferably pinned or otherwise fastened on the standard end of the arm-shaft 24; the

rock-arm 61 having connected to its free end the upper end of a driving link 68 embracing at its lower end the crank-pin 5I on the rotary bedshaft I6.

The work is advanced past the stitching devices by means of a lower four-motion feeding mechanism having the usual feed-dog 69 which operates through suitable slots provided in the throatplate 3I. The feed-dog 69 derives its rising and falling movements from the feed-lift eccentric 45 and its feed-advance and return movements from the feed-advance eccentric 44 in a manner fully disclosed in my above mentioned application Serial No. 226,082. Opposing the feed-dog 69 and throat-plate 3l is the usual presser-foot carried on the lower end of a presser-bar 1I vertically slidable inthe machine-head I3; a

coil-spring 12 being provided to urge the presserfoot yieldingly downwardly into work-clamping relation with the feed-dog and throat-plate.

With the exception of the feeding mechanism, which is preferably ltted with oil impregnated sintered metal bushings4 and therefore requires very infrequent lubrication, the mechanisms of the machine are automatically lubricated by means of a splash system. As previously described, the machine-bed I0 is formed with a lubrication compartment I9 closed at its bottom by a'removable plate 20 and adapted to be filled with suitable lubricant to a level indicated on a transparent oil-level indicator 13 secured in an inclined front wall-portion of the bed I0. Be-

, neath the standard II of the machine the lubrication compartment I9 is in communication with the hollow 2l of the standard, the hollow at its upperend being closed by the transverse partition 22.

Oil collected in the bottom of the lubrication compartment is adapted to be splashed about within the compartment I9 and hollow 2I by a splash-finger 14 depending from the lower end of the arm-shaft driving link 68. The crank-pin driving the link 58 is lubricated by means of an oil-conducting ring 15 pressed on the outer race of the ball-bearing 53 and formed with a reduced annular projection 16 shaped to collect oil deposited on the oil-conducting ring and deliver it within an annular recess 11 formed in the proximate end face of the crank-cheek 52. The annular recess 11 has communicating with it a duct 'i8 disposed lengthwise of the crank-pin 5I, which duct 18 opens into the peripheral surface ofthe crank-pin 5I and thereby leads oil to this surface. The ball-bearings 53 and 54 are of the sealed type and therefore no oil escapes through these bearings to contaminate the hand-wheel 51. It will be appreciated that the oil-collecting ring 15 functions as an oil guard and augments the sealed bearings 53 and 54 in precluding the escapes of oil to the hand-wheel 51. Also the resilient ring-gasket 59 prevents the escape of oil along the outer surface of the sleeve 55.l

The arm-shaft 24 and its associated connections are lubricated by oil collected by a wick 19 located in the central bore of the arm-shaft, the wick having its right hand end exposed to absorb oil splashed within the hollow 2| of the standard II. At the standard end of the armshaft 33, the central bore 89 thereof is connected by a port BI to a duct 82 running lengthwise of the rock-arm 61 and opening at the outer end of the rock-arm into the bearing surface between the rock-arm and the driving link 68. Thus, oil absorbed by the wick is conducted by the port 8| and duct 82 to the arm-shaft driving connection.

At the head end of the arm-shaft 24, the central bore 8U thereof lis connected by a port 33 to a duct 84 running lengthwise of the needle-bar actuating rock-arm 66 and opening at its outer end on the bearing surface between the rockarm G5 and the needle-bar actuating link 65. As is evident in Fig. 1, excess oil delivered to the upper end of the needle-bar actuating link 65 is conducted downwardly through a central duct 85 in the link E5 to its lower bearing. From the foregoing, it will be understood that the exposed end of the wick 19 absorbs oil from the oil-laden atmosphere in the hollow 2l of the standard II and then, through the ports 8l and 83 and ducts 82 and 84, delivers it to the bearing points requiring lubrication.

As previously mentioned, the level of the oil in the lubrication compartment I9 is visible through the transparent plug 'I3 (Fig. 2), which plug has oil-level limit lines 86 cut in its inner face. These oil-level limit lines cross oil-receiving hole 81 which is provided transversely of the inner face of the plug 'I3 and closed by an endplate 88, thereby to provide an oil-receiving hole open at its upper and lower ends and into which the oil in the compartment I9 may rise to seek its own level. Oil in the compartment I9 may be replenished through an oil-filling hole 89 formed in the horizontal top wall I8 of the compartment I 9. Protruding from the upper surface of the top-wall I8 are two ridges 90 arranged at opposite sides and parallel to the front shaftsection 39. These ridges define a trough for collecting oil which escapes through the bearing 42, the trough leading the oil to the porous bearing 4| and any excess oil escaping from this` bearing eventually works into the various bearings in the feed mechanism.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is:

1. A sewing machine having a frame formed with a splash lubrication compartment, a mainshaft extending through said compartment and having therewithin a crank-portion, an element embracing said crank-portion and actuated thereby, said crank-portion having an oil-collecting recess and communicating oil-ducts connecting said recess with the external surface of said crank-portion, and means for collecting oil from within said splash-lubrication compartment and conducting it into said recess, said means including a stationary ring member surrounding said main-shaft and having a projection extending into the recess in said crankportion.

2. A sewing machine having a frame formed with a splash lubrication compartment, a mainshaft extending through said compartment and having therewithin a crank-portion, a bearing in which said shaft is journaled, an element embracing said crank-portion and actuated thereby, said crank-portion having an oil-collecting recess and communicating oil-ducts connecting said recess with the external surface of said crankportion, and means comprising a stationary ring member surrounding said shaft and disposed between said crank-portion and said bearing to act as a baille preventing the egress of oil through said bearing and formed with a reduced annular projection extending into said recess to deposit the oil collected by said projection into said recess.

3. A two-part shaft arrangement for a sewing machine having a frame formed with a lubrication compartment defined by spaced walls provided with at least one bearing and a shaft-assembly opening in alignment with said bearing,

comprising, a front shaft section journaled in the bearing in said frame and having its inner end extending into said lubrication-compartment, a crank-cheek carried on the inner end of said front shaft section, a rear shaft section unit detachably supported in said shaft-assembly opening and separately connected to the inner end of said front shaft section, said unit including a mounting sleeve disposed in and sized to close said shaft-assembly opening, bearing means carried by said mounting sleeve, a rear shaft section journaled in said bearing means, a crank-cheek fixed on said rear shaft section within said lubrication compartment, a crank-pin secured to one of said crank-cheeks and releasably associated in driving relation with said other crank-cheek, an oil collecting recess provided in one of said crank-cheeks, oil distributing ducts leading from said recess to the surface of said crank-pin, and a baille member disposed adjacent said bearing means and formed with a projection extending into said recess to deposit the oil collected by said baille member into said recess.

4. A sewing machine having a frame formed with a lubrication compartment, a bearing located in at least one wall of said lubrication compartment, a shaft journaled in said bearing, an actuating element mounted on said shaft within said lubrication compartment and having an oilcollecting recess formed in one face thereof, and a stationary baffle member interposed between said bearing and said actuating element and shaped to encircle said shaft and extend into said recess to prevent oil from escaping through said bearing and to deliver oil collected on said baille into the oil-collecting recess in said actuating element. y

5. A sewing machine having a frame formed with a lubrication compartment, a bearing element located in at least one wall of said lubrication compartment, a shaft journaled in said bearing, an actuating element mounted on said Shaft within said lubrication compartment and in proximity to said bearing and having an oilcollecting recess formed in the face thereof proximate to said bearing, and a ring-like baille member mounted on said bearing and having a portion of reduced diameter projecting into said oil-collecting recess for preventing the escape of oil through said bearing and to deliver oil co1- lected on said baille into the oil-collecting recess in said actuating element.

ARTHUR N. HALE.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date '1,585,985 Heinrich May 25, 1926 1,765,927 Maier June 24, 1930 1,881,149 Towle Oct. 4, 1932 

